Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-09-01
CLEVELAND AND PENSIONS.
what the Democratic Administration
Has Done for tho Yetarans

CLEVELAND AND PENSIONS.
What the Democratic Administration
Has Done for the Veterans.
Now that certain blatherskites O,
the Tuttle-Fairchild stripe are seeking
to transform the Grand Army of the
Republic into a Republican partisan
machine. by assailing President Cleve-
3and's record for the purpose of show
ang that he is an enemy of the veteran
soldier. it becomes patriotic duty to
present the fact to the public so that
every veteran soldier may appreciate
the ineffable scoundrelism of those
who would obscure the truth for the
sake of partisan ends. An official docu-
ment has been issued which will en-
able all who want to know the truth
to comprehend at a glance what MIR.
Cieveland's Administration has done
for the Union soldier in regard to
pensions and positions.
1t is stated that .'aninvestigatorw with
a keen regard for figures has gone over
the statutes of the United States PEN
sion Bureau, and by actual count has
made up these statistics regarding the
Pension office business, which shed
clear light On that part of President
Cleveland's Administration" These
figures, us to private pension acts, are
of a character to silence all adverse
criticism. They force the conclusion
that Mr.. Cleveland has stood ready to
sign every meritorious claim for pen
sion. No veteran soldier can con-
template the record for a moment with
out realizing that in, President Cleve-
land the brave. meritorious soldier has
a conscientious, inflexible friend. The
records relating to private pension acts
and the employment of soldiers, are as
fol lows:
General Grant, from 1870 to 1877 inclusive, a
period Of eight years, approved 4S5 private
pension acts; Hayes, from 1877 to 1884, inclu-
siye- period Of four years, approved 303 pri-
~vate pension acts; Presidents Garfield and Ar
thur from 1882 to 1885, inclusive. a period Of
four years, approved 736 pension acts; while
President Cleveland, from 1886 to 1887, inclu-
sive, a period of only two years, has approved
1868 private pension acts.
This is a more than Presidents Grant and
Hayes approved in twelve years, and 127 more
than Presidents Garfield and Arthur approved
IN four years.
President Cleveland has, Also to begin with,
appointed more ex-Union soldiers to office
than any other President. He approved the
act of March 10. 1886, which increased to S12
per month the pension of IS, $50 widows, minors
and dependent relatives of Union soldiers of
the late war He approved the act of August
4. 1886, which increased the pension of 10000
crippled and MANNED Union soldiers of the late
war He approved the act of January 90, 1887,
which placed upon the pension rolls over
$4,000 survivors and widows Of the war with
Mexico.
We challenge the entire Republican
party to show the foregoing figures to
be incorrect. There they stand
figures for the people-fgures for the
veteran soldiers-figures for the pres
.ent and for all time.
But this is not all. The work of the
Pension Bureau during the past two
years, should be studied by the people.
and by the Union soldier. Here they
are:
From July /. 1885, to June 80 1887, inclusive,
1858 500 pension certificates of all classes were
issued by the Bureau of Pensions.
From July 1, 1888, to June 80, 1885, 129, SIT
pension certificates of all classes were issued
an increase of 1885, $50 certificates in favor of
the first two years under Democratic overt the
preceding two years under Republican rule.
From July 1, 1885, to June 80, 1887, there
5S4 go. As.
From July l. 1884, to June 30, 1885, there was
tdsbursed on account of pensions S122 957, 243. 49,
showing an increase of SIG, 90 for the first
two years under Democratic Administration
over the last two years under Republican Ad-
ministration.
On July 1, 1888, there were 300, 65S pensioners
on the rolls. On July 1, 1885, there were upon
the rolls 345, Ss5 pensioners, being net increase
to she rolls during the last two years under Re-
publican rule of Al, 467.
On the first day of July, 1887, there were upon
the rolls 4O2, 900 pensioners-unofficial, but
low estimate-or a net gain of the rolls during
the first two years under Democratic rule of
81, 49, a net gain of 5, 40S to the rolls during
the first two years of President Cleveland's
Administration over the last two years of Pres
ident Arthur's Administration.
During the fiscal year ending June 80, 1887,
H.. $50 certificates Of all classes were issued
by the Bureau of Pensions, of which "a, 1874 were
'original,' being 5017 in excess of the highest
number ever before issued in the history Of the
bureau.
With such facts and figures in view,
is not required-they speak
for themselves. Partisan malignity
may assail them, but they will glow
the brighter by the assault, and will
become more conspicuous. Democrats
may well feel proud of the record.
The truth is always more powerful
than lie. The truth grows in public
favor This being the case, the Demo-
cratic party has only to keep the truth
before the people.-Indianapolis Se'sti-